Your Federal Resume Navigating USAjobs Presented by Scott

Your Federal Resume & Navigating USAjobs Presented by: Scott Raether And Lewis Collins Airman & Family Readiness Center with USTRANSCOM Aug 2021 1

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Review the Federal Job Process Federal Hiring Programs Grade and Salary

Federal Hiring Programs and Preferences for Veterans How do I qualify?

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Federal Hiring Programs and Preferences for Veterans Recruitment Appointments (VRA) 5 points – Up to GS-11 or equivalent – Veterans are hired under excepted appointments to positions that are otherwise in the competitive service Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) 5 points – Gives eligible veterans access to jobs otherwise available only to status employees 30% or More Disabled Veterans 10 points – May be appointed to any position for which he or she is qualified, without competition

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Federal Hiring Programs for Military Family Members & Public Noncompetitive appointment of certain Military spouses to Competitive service positions • Relocating with their service-member spouse as a result of permanent change of station (PCS) orders • Spouses of service members who incurred 100% disability because of the service member’s active duty service • Spouse of service members killed while on active duty Schedule A, 5 CFR 213. 3102(u), for hiring people with physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. • Such individuals may qualify for conversion to permanent status after two years of satisfactory service. • Severe physical disabilities include but are not limited to heart disease, diabetes, depression, TBI, ADD/ADHD, etc.

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Proof of Creditable Service (In Lieu of DD 214) • Print Proof of Service Letter – v. MPF, click Self-Service Actions, click Personal Data, click Proof of Service letter • Add sentence signed by Commander (w/full sig block) – "I certify that RANK FULL NAME is separating (or retiring) under honorable (or general) conditions as of FULL DATE and will begin terminal leave on FULL DATE. " • Valid only within 120 days of discharge/release from active duty. (Some agencies may not accept if signed earlier than 120 days or discharge/release. )

RESEARCH VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON USAJOBS Excepted Service Agencies Do not have to post on USAJOBS

AREA of CONSIDERATION Who May Apply 8

ANALYZE YOUR CORE COMPETENCIES Analyze Your Core Competencies What are the value-added competencies you can offer a supervisor?

ANALYZE YOUR CORE COMPETENCIES Are These Core Competencies In Your Federal Resume? Hard skills can make a difference in your resume! • Program Management • Quality Assurance • Business Administration • Customer Service 10

ANALYZE YOUR CORE COMPETENCIES OPM Occupational Series ALL positions are given an occupational series: Determine your occupational series and write your resume to match that job title Read more: OPM Occupational Series

WRITE YOUR OUTLINE FORMAT FEDERAL RESUME Write Your Outline Format Federal Resume Conquer the most challenging step by understanding the Outline Format for your resume

WRITE YOUR OUTLINE FORMAT FEDERAL RESUME Private Industry and TAP vs. Federal Resume

WRITE YOUR OUTLINE FORMAT FEDERAL RESUME Don’t Use Just One Resume! • Do not write one federal resume and use it to apply for all positions. • Do not just submit your TAP resume as your federal resume. • Do not upload your resume into USAJOBS. Use the resume builder instead.

WRITE YOUR OUTLINE FORMAT FEDERAL RESUME Outline Format Federal Resume Is Easy to Read • Use small paragraphs for readability. • ALL CAPS keywords should match the keywords in the announcement. • Add accomplishments • Copy and paste into USAJOBS

Grade and Salary

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Grade Level Based Upon Experience Your resume MUST highlight at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower level.

REVIEW THE FEDERAL JOB PROCESS Grade Level Based on Education How to determine your grade by education only: • • • GS-4 – Two years above high school (or AA Degree) GS-5 – Based on Bachelor’s Degree GS-7 – One full year of graduate study GS-9 – Master’s degree or equivalent GS-11 – Ph. D.

NETWORK – WHO DO YOU KNOW? Network • • Federal Employee coworkers Linked. In

NETWORK – WHO DO YOU KNOW? Networking – Who Do You Know? • Other people, especially current and former Federal employees, are the best source of basic information and insider tips. • Who do you know? • Can they hire you now? • If not, how can they help you? • What connections do you need to make?

RESEARCH VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON USAJOBS Research Vacancy Announcements on USAJOBS

RESEARCH VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON USAJOBS Learn How to Search USAJOBS Easiest search – keyword and/or geographic location:

RESEARCH VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON USAJOBS Filtering Your Search Results Veterans and Current Federal Employees can check this box in upper left corner of screen to see more jobs. Additional filters: location, pay, or occupation

RESEARCH VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON USAJOBS Critical Announcement Features Important sections in the federal vacancy announcement: • • • Agency Name Title of Job, Grade, and Geographic Location Closing Date Who Can Apply Duties Qualifications and Specialized Experience Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Questionnaire How to apply or the APPLY NOW link

Sample Announcement View additional examples on www. USAJOBS. gov

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Analyze Vacancy Announcements for Keywords Find Keywords in Duties, Specialized Experience, Qualifications, Questionnaires, and KSAs

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Analyze Announcements for Keywords For Your Outline Format Resume • Stand out with keywords • Keywords can result in referrals, selections, and interviews • HR specialists read for keywords • Use at least 5 -7 keywords, more is better

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Where to Find Keywords • Vacancy announcements – – • • Duties and Qualifications sections KSAs and Quality Ranking Factors Specialized Experience section Questionnaires OPM Classification Standards Organization mission Core competencies FASCLASS

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Keywords from a Mission Statement

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Keywords from Duties and Qualifications Sections of the Vacancy Announcement

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Keywords from the Specialized Experience Section

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Keywords from a Questionnaire

ANALYZE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR KEYWORDS Keywords from OPM Classification Standards FIND ON: http: //www. opm. gov/policy-data-oversight/classificationqualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

KSAS AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRES KSAs in the Federal Resume and Assessment Questionnaires

KSAS AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRES Example: KSAs in the Resume

KSAS AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRES Example: KSAs in the Questionnaire

APPLY FOR JOBS WITH USAJOBS Apply for Jobs with USAJOBS

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS Track and Follow Up on Your Applications How You Will Be Evaluated Category Rating

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS How People Are Hired: The Competitive Process Identify Job and Assessments Recruit and Announce Job Accept and Review Applications Assess Applicants Certify Eligibles Select

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS How Long Does It Take to Fill a Federal Job? Goal for Filling Federal Jobs: 90 to 120 days from the Date of Posting Job Announcement

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS How You Will Be Evaluated: Your resume will go into one of three buckets Best Qualified – This is the only group that will get Referred to the Supervisor. Well-Qualified – not referred “If you’re not in the top bucket, you’re not in the game!” – Kathryn Troutman

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS How Veterans Preference is Applied: First, applicants are rated and placed into a category Best Qualified Highly Qualified CPS CP TP NV NV CPS TP NV CPS CP Quay Richards Sable Tracy Underhill Vealy Woodie Collins Scientific or Professional GS 9 or above CPS Quay CP Richards TP Sable Jones Miller Smith Marks NOT Scientific or Professional CPS CP TP CPS CP Quay Richards Sable Collins Smith Marks

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS Follow Up Online – USAJOBS

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS Follow Up Online – Application Manager

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS Look for Notice of Results (NOR) Get more information about the status of your application by finding your NOR in Application Manager under My Application Packages. 45

TRACK AND FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATIONS Why Was Your Resume Not Best Qualified? • Your questionnaire answers may not have been at the highest level • You checked off an answer in the questionnaire that made you ineligible • Your resume did not show minimum qualifications (education or experience required) • Your resume did not match the questionnaire • Your resume did not match the specialized experience

INTERVIEW FOR A FEDERAL JOB Interview for a Federal Job “It takes practice, research, and preparation for a successful job interview. ” The Federal Job Interview is a Test

INTERVIEW FOR A FEDERAL JOB The Federal Job Interview Is a Test – Be Prepared, Practice • Be prepared with examples of accomplishments that will prove your past performance. • Use your list of accomplishments to help you remember all the wonderful things you’ve accomplished! • Do practice runs with a friend or transition counselor.

Questions?